


Forced/Arranged Marriage

by All_The_Monsters



Series: 16 Glenya Requests [1]
Category: Anastasia - Flaherty/Ahrens/McNally
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-15 23:57:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18083450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_The_Monsters/pseuds/All_The_Monsters
Summary: Request: Forced/Arranged MarriageAnya and Gleb exist in an arranged marriage due to a law that won't allow Anya to become Tsarina until she's married. (Loosely inspired by The Princess Diaries 2.)





	Forced/Arranged Marriage

"Just because I married him doesn't mean I have to like him." Anya stubbornly said as she glared at Lily from across the table where she was seated in the palace kitchen. 

"Anastasia!" The older woman sighed, exasperatedly. 

"What! I'll put on appearances, but that's it." Anya pointed the spoon at Lily before returning to the tub of ice cream (which Lily was glancing at rather disdainfully.) "Besides, the only reason he is here is because of some stupid law made almost one hundred years ago." Anya finished. 

"I know you despise the law, but it is important that you-" Anya cut Lily off before she could finish. 

"Remember that all eyes are on me." 

"Yes. You are the last in the Romanov line, and soon to be the first Tsarina is nearly a century. How you appear to the world is important." Lily spoke, sliding into the seat across from her. 

"I know." Anya mumbled into her tub of ice cream. 

"You know," Lily took Anya's free hand in her own, "if you gave him a chance, he might not be all that bad." 

Anya huffed and looked anywhere but the older woman's face. 

"Don't let your stubbornness make the rest of your life miserable." Lily chastised. 

"I know. Maybe you're right. I probably should go apologies." Anya relented. 

"I think that may be a good idea. And," at this Lily gestured with her finger to the ice cream tub with her finger, "you can probably leave that behind." 

Anya caught the eye of the cook as she left and discreetly mouthed 'I'll be back' and pointed to the ice cream.

As Anya wondered through the corridors of the palace Anya mentally drafted her apology in her head. As she rounded a corner she caught the elbow of a passing maid. 

"My lady?" The young woman questioned. 

"Have you seen Gl- err, my husband?" Anya asked. 

"That way, your majesty." The maid bowed by continuing on her way. 

Anya thanked the maid before walking in the direction the maid had pointed. As she rounded to corner she could see Gleb sitting with his back towards her and looking out the window. Anya worried her lip as she silently approached her husband. Opening her mouth to speak Anya reached out but then seemed to think better of it and quickly pulled her hand back letting it fall dully at her side. 

"Anya." Gleb spoke without looking at her. 

"Gleb, I-" Anya began but couldn't seem to find the words to finish. 

Gleb looked up at her and she reluctantly met his gaze. Without speaking he shifted on the bench and motioned for her to take a seat next him. Slowly, as if sitting down next to a live mine that might blow at any moment, Anya sat down next to Gleb. Looking down she could see her own hand was just centimeters away from from his. The light glinted off of the gold wedding band on hand next to her, and glancing over to her own left hand Anya could see the similar gold band on her own finger. 

"I-" Anya began before taking a deep breath and starting again. "Despite what you may think, I want this marriage to work." 

"I know. I'll admit, I haven't been making this easy on either of us." Gleb spoke at long last.

"It's not your fault. I am partially to blame. And I don't hold anything against you, Gleb, I really don't. I know you're just as forced into this as I am. And it isn't really fair I've been taking out my anger on some stupid law written before the 20th century out on you. I think- I think you are a nice guy, and I feel that if we'd met under different circumstances..." 

"I know." Gleb said as she trailed off and glanced down at their hands. Anya followed his gaze and watched as his hand twitched towards hers then fall still as if he thought better than to grab her hand. 

Stealing her resolve Anya placed her hand over Gleb's. "Is there any hope for this, for us, Gleb?" Anya asked quietly. 

"To be honest," he began, "I'm tired of all the fighting. And I believe that as long as there's one fool with a sharp stick, no cause is truly lost, and I'm willing fight for this, if you are." 

"I am." Anya admitted. "You know, I suppose I can be glad you're here. I don't think I could do this by myself. In fact I often wonder why fate deemed this my path. I was suppose to be in the car with my family that day. If I hadn't been ill I would've been." 

Gleb looked over at Anya, listening intently, it wasn't often she spoke of her family. 

"What would it be like if there hadn't been a car accident that day. Maybe I'd still be in the states." It was a little known fact in the country now that Anya's ancestors had fled to America after the revolution. "Maybe my father would be standing in my place." Anya mused. 

Gleb didn't know what to say at this new information, so instead he opted to shifting his hand so held Anya's own and squeezed it lightly, a gesture which Anya returned. 

"I don't hate you." Anya said after a thick silence had settled between the two.

"I don't hate you either." Gleb chuckled and Anya looked up at him. "And as long as we both want this marriage to work, it will." 

"Thank you." Anya whispered. 

"There is nothing to forgive." Gleb leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Anya's cheek before standing up and resting a hand on her shoulder. For a moment Gleb looked like there was something he wanted to say, but he seemed to think better of it and simply left Anya with a small smile before walking off, leaving Anya sitting on the bench to gaze out the window.

**Author's Note:**

> Send your requests to allthemonsters02@gmail.com with 'Glenya Requests' in the subject box. Please leave any questions, comments, concerns, and or interpretive dances in the comment section below.


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